Using a cold curtain to keep food chilled

Certain foods need to be chilled to keep them safe, as harmful bacteria can grow otherwise. This is especially important if you work in a food business which is selling goods to customers, as you don't want them to get sick as this will look bad on your business. Of course, using a cold curtain can help, but there are other steps you should take: 

Check your food

Make sure the following types of food are kept cold:

• food with a 'use by' date
• food that has 'keep refrigerated' printed on the label
• food that has been cooked and isn't served straight away
• any ready-to-eat food

Keep an eye on 'use by' dates

Make sure that you do not sell any food after it's 'use by' date. Food with a 'use by' date has a limited shelf life. If you keep it too long, then it will not be safe to eat.

• If you are selling food you have prepared or cooked, then use stickers to keep track of when it should be used and when it should be thrown away
• If you are not sure of the length of time you can keep food for, check with your local environmental health officer for advice.

Use chilled display units and fridges correctly

It is vital to use equipment properly to ensure food is kept at the correct temperature

• Do you have instructions for your fridge / chilled display unit?
• Are you following the instructions?

Are you displaying food safely?

It is essential to keep chilled food cold while it is on display; otherwise, harmful bacteria could grow.

• Make sure the unit is pre-chilled before you put any food in it
• Only display as much food as you think you will need
• Display the food for the shortest time possible

Check, check and check again

It is a legal requirement in England Wales and Northern Ireland that chilled display units and fridges are kept at five Celsius or below to make sure that the food on display is at eight Celsius or below. To ensure you are complying with this requirement, it is recommended that the temperature is checked at least once a day.

Some equipment will have a dial or digital display to show you what the temperature is, and you can use this to keep an eye. However, it is wise to not rely on this too much, and you should use a fridge thermometer every now and again to make sure it is accurate.

As you can see, there are lots of things to think about when it comes to keeping food cold, but Strip Curtains Direct is here to help. We can offer you a range of strip curtains to suit your needs, including polar grade curtains which have been specially manufactured for cold stores, refrigerated vehicles and freezer rooms. Contact us today to find out more.